240 leaders and volunteers from New River Valley’s non-profits and government-service institutions paused from their good works Thursday night, April 8,
to honor the fifty-nine volunteers nominated for, and the five awarded the prestigious Leading Lights volunteer awards. Two years ago, the Virginia Tech German Club Alumni
Foundation (GCAF) teamed up with area non-profit organizations to create the “Leading Lights: Neighbors Honoring Neighbors” recognition program to recognize and award NRV
volunteers from all sectors who make community-changing impacts and serve as models to inspire others.
$1,000 is awarded on behalf of each award-winner to the NRV non-profit of their choice. The Jim and Lenna Moore Community Service and Citizenship Award - presented by the
YMCA at VT, the American Red Cross, and AARP - was awarded at the event also.
“It is the spirit of volunteerism we’re celebrating tonight”, proclaimed Master of Ceremonies Andy Morikawa, Executive Director of the NRV Community Foundation.
He told attendees the event was intended by its founders as a “Living memorial to them” referring to the victims of the 4/16/07 tragedy. Former President of Virginia Tech,
Dr. Paul Torgersen, joined Renee Cloyd and Dr. Bryan Cloyd as the featured speakers of the event. The Cloyds are the parents of Austin Cloyd, a Virginia Tech student
killed in the April 16, 2007 shooting at Virginia Tech. Instrumental in the establishment of the “VT Engage” volunteerism initiative, Renee reflected on the multitude of
volunteers from numerous organizations who had connected with Austin while she was growing up. Austin, like her parents, was an avid volunteer. Renee challenged the crowd
to think about who was watching them when they volunteered, and to understand their volunteer actions are shaping our future.
Bryan Cloyd, well-known for his volunteer works in Haiti including the building a church and a school, spoke of serving others as explaining not “who I am, but why I am –
how I am called to serve gives meaning and purpose to my life”. He commented that serving others is a way to set things right in an unjust world even though we cannot see how
that will ultimately happen.
All nominees must be current residents of or currently enrolled in schools in the New River Valley, and were selected based on their strong community involvement, proven
leadership, demonstrated lifestyle of dedicated, continuous, long-term involvement to the community, and creativity in initiating and implementing projects that lead to a
better quality of life.
The 2010 Leading Lights award winners are Community: John McEnhill, Floyd; Dr. Nelda Pearson, Radford; Margie Vitale, Christiansburg; Collegiate: Matthew Johnson, Blacksburg;
and Youth: Marie Stump, Christiansburg. Attorney Mary Ann Hinselwood was presented with the Jim and Lenna Moore Award.
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